This invention relates to electrical connector apparatus and more particularly to telephone industry electrical adapter devices. The device of this invention is particularly useful for electrically connecting a telephone industry 110-type Block or terminal to a modular plug.
The 110 Block Adapter of the present invention provides a means of electrically connecting and adapting a 110 Block to a modular jack for testing new or existing telecommunications industry wiring installations. The 110 Block Adapter further provides a means of installing new telephone equipment via connection to a 110 Block. The 110 Block Adapter is usable on 110 Blocks for adaptation to a modular jack which receives either 1, 2, 3, or 4 pair modular plugs.
In accordance with present telecommunications industry practice, telephone networks are divided into a telephone company side and a telephone customer side. The division between the two sides of the network is referred to as a demarcation point. It is at this point that the responsibility for installation and maintenance of telephone company and customer equipment is divided. The demarcation point typically comprises a multiple wire, plug-type terminal or interface. An example of such an interface is the 110 Block.
The 110 Block is connected to and terminates the telephone company's line or lines in or at the customer's premises. This typically occurs at either the entrance cable leading into the premises or, for example, in the case of a multiple story building, at the end of a riser cable extending from the entrance cable (located on the ground floor) to an upper floor. The 110 Block provides connections for customer supplied single line or multiple line network equipment depending upon the customer's needs.
The typical 110-type Block or interface comprises a housing structure having multiple longitudinal rows of electrical contacts. The individual rows of electrical contacts may be comprised of several individual clip-on style segments. Each such segment has a plurality, for example 8, of elongated, scissors-type, split or forked electrical contacts arranged side by side in a planar configuration and uniformly spaced. The contacts are arranged in a thin, relatively flat nonconductive housing which exposes both ends of each contact. At one end of the housing, the contacts are exposed for hook-up with premises interconnect wiring. At the opposite end, the contacts are exposed for contact with an adapter or other customer provided telecommunications equipment. At this end, the housing further includes either an elongated guidepost structure with a tapered end (pair-post) or a shorter guidepost structure with a generally square end (short post) between contacts. Each such structure is cantilevered from the main body of the housing. The pair-posts and short posts form interstitial sockets in which the split contacts are located. The pair-posts and short posts guide the incoming conductors of an external adapter or other telecommunications equipment to the respective sockets for connection with the split contacts. The pair-post structures are disposed between each side by side related pair of contacts (each pair of contacts corresponding to one telecommunications line) while the short post structures separate the related pairs. On the top surfaces of both the pair-posts and the short posts are rounded nipples. Only the pair-post bottom surfaces have such nipples. Additionally, the bottoms of the short posts are longitudinally notched; the notches being open to the bottom and also at their outwardly extended end.
The expansion of telephone networks over time, under the current industry practice, has resulted in extensive, complex and variable interface and interconnect wiring installations. This has made cable identification and trouble isolation a more difficult and time consuming task for repair and installation technicians. Thus, there has arisen a need for an apparatus which simplifies the connection of test or other telephone equipment and which utilizes modular connectors comprising male-type plugs and female-type jacks. In the past, connector devices have been used and proposed to adapt demarcation point connections as well as other connections with modular plugs or jacks. However, these devices have proven to be complex, expensive, unreliable, bulky, and difficult to use. And, these devices have generally been unuseable with 110-type Blocks.
The 110 Block Adapter of the present invention provides an adapter which overcomes the shortcomings, problems and disadvantages of the prior art. The invention provides a compact, durable, and reliable adapter which is simple and easy to use. The 110 Block Adapter is usable on temporary or permanent telephone installations. The device is usable to provide connections to 110 Blocks, and to either 1, 2, 3 or 4 pair modular plugs. It may be used for either troubleshooting or installation purposes. The device also provides a means of establishing temporary cross connects, half-taps for cut over purposes, and conversions to a modular patch panel.